Oxford Folk Festival is back this week, and the Covered Market is once again right at the heart of it. From Friday 10 to Sunday 12 April, the market will fill with free live folk music, colour, movement and that unmistakable festival buzz, as shoppers, visitors and regulars find themselves in the middle of one of Oxford’s most joyful weekends of the year. With performances in the market, Morris dancers weaving through the city, and music popping up across Oxford city centre, this is your first glimpse of what to expect from this year’s festival.
We chatted with Folk Festival organisers to find out more about what to expect.
Sneak peek at what’s on in the market
We’re so excited! After a year of busy preparations our third annual Oxford Folk Festival, still fully volunteer-led, will soon hit the city with its music, dancing, colour, and jingling of bells as the Morris dancers stroll around town.
The historic Covered Market, along with valuable support and practical help from Market Tap, remains the hub of the Oxford Folk Festival. From noon on Friday 10th to evening on Sunday 12th, shoppers, browsers and tourists will be regaled with all kinds of free entertainment – a varied programme of folk music, from ancient to modern.
On Saturday 11th April, in what is becoming a tradition for our festival, there will be a free evening concert at the Market, from 7.30pm. This year we are delighted that the music will be provided by the established Abingdon based Ock Street Band. Also on Saturday we are looking forward to hearing Aisling, a folk band from Oxford’s twin city in Holland – Leiden. The band is coming here especially to support our festival and will perform at the Covered Market stage at 2.00pm. They will also be hosting a concert and dance on Friday evening at St Matthews Church – details on social media and oxfordfolkfest.org.uk.
Photo courtesty of Oxford Folk Festival
Out and about across the city
Elsewhere in the centre of the city there will be ticketed concerts and ceilidhs as promoted on our website, besides nine other satellite venues which will also provide free music to patrons at such place as Modern Art Oxford, the Bodleian, the Old Fire Station, Blackwells, Common Ground and the Westgate. Unlike most of the other sites, the Covered Market is providing music on all three days of the Festival.
Around and about the centre of town, and frequently passing through the Covered Market, will be hundreds of Morris dancers, who come from all over the country to demonstrate their skills in the centre of the city. You will see them in Broad Street, St Giles, Bonn Square, Leiden Square, the Castle and many other places.
Find out more about Oxford Folk Festival as well as what’s on when and where by clicking on the button below.
Market Stage times
Here’s the full line-up for this years Oxford Folk Festival Market stage:
*Please note: Times may vary. Keep in touch with Ox Folk Fest directly and boards in the Market for the latest timings.
Fri 10 April
12pm – Kim Hobday
1pm – Jess & Jones
2pm – Oli Steadman
3pm – Colin Greenway
4pm – Reunion Lane
Sat 11 April
12pm – Craig McLearie
1pm – Linda Watkins
2pm – Aisling
3pm – Fair Steel Albion
4pm – Sepia Tones Collective
5pm – Daughter of the Water
6pm – Quest for Folk
7:30pm – Ock Street Band
Sun 12 April
12pm – The Skeptics
1pm – Tim Friers & the Mercenaries
2pm – Jaybirds
3pm – Mandy Woods & Jenny Bliss
4pm – Oxford Fiddle Group
Market opening hours:
Fri 11am–10pm
Sat 10am–10pm
Sun 10:15am–5pm